Funeral of 7th Earl of Wilton (From Lancashire Telegraph)
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Funeral of 7th Earl of Wilton
THE funeral takes place today (October 8) in Prestwich of the 7th Earl of Wilton who has died aged 78.
The private service will be conducted by the Rev Martin Ashworth, vicar of St Margaret's, where the family vault is located.
Seymour William Arthur John Egerton was born in 1921, the only son of the 6th Earl of Wilton, and at the age of six he succeeded his father. His mother died three years later.
At one time the Egerton family, through marriage, owned extensive land in Prestwich, Radcliffe, Middleton and Denton.
In 1684 what is now Heaton Park came into the possession of the family with the marriage of Elizabeth Holland and Sir John Egerton. Architect James Wyatt was commissioned in 1772 to build the present Heaton Hall. The 650 acres remained in the family until Manchester City Council paid £230,000 for the land in 1902. The family was also one of the main benefactors of St Margaret's Church which recently celebrated the 150th anniversary of its foundation, St Margaret's School and Lady Wilton School in Simister.
The 7th Earl of Wilton was educated at Eton and joined the Army during the Second World War. In 1962 he married Diana Naylor-Leyland.
Lord Wilton bought several houses, including Ditchley Park in Oxfordshire which he sold to buy Ramsbury Manor in Wiltshire. Later he lived in a cottage in Berkshire.
He died on September 30. Lord Ebury, who lives in Australia, succeeds to the earldom.
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